A Marriott free night award is a certificate you can get from a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card or as an Annual Choice Benefit when you reach a certain elite status. To use it, you must book a one-night stay at a Marriott hotel that costs the same or fewer points than the value of your certificate. You can also "top off" the award with up to 15,000 of your own points to book a more expensive stay. The process is done online or through the Marriott Bonvoy app.
Step 1: Find Your Free Night Award Certificate ️♀️
The first thing you need to do is confirm that you have a free night award available and understand its details. There's nothing worse than getting your heart set on a specific hotel only to find out you can't use your award there.
Sub-heading: Check Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
Ready to find your free night? You can easily check for your available awards by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account on the website or in the mobile app. Look for a section called "Earned Awards" or "Free Night Awards" in your account overview or activity section. This is where you'll see a list of your certificates, including their point value and, most importantly, their expiration date. Keep in mind, these certificates typically expire one year from the date of issuance and cannot be extended, so you'll want to use them before they're gone!
 |
| How To Use Marriott Free Night |
Step 2: Search for a Hotel Stay
Now for the fun part: finding a place to stay! This step is all about strategy and finding the best value for your award.
Sub-heading: Utilize the "Use Points / Awards" Filter
Tip: Read mindfully — avoid distractions.
When you search for hotels on the Marriott website or app, be sure to select the "Use Points / Awards" checkbox. This will show you the nightly point cost for each hotel, making it easy to see which ones fall within your certificate's value. This is a crucial step to avoid wasting time on hotels that can't be booked with your free night award.
Sub-heading: Find the Right Point Value
Your free night award has a specific point value, such as 35,000 or 50,000 points. You want to find a hotel that costs at or below this amount. To get the most value, look for a hotel that costs just under your certificate's value. For example, if you have a 50,000-point certificate, booking a hotel that costs 48,000 points is a great redemption.
Remember, you can also use your own Marriott Bonvoy points to "top off" the value of your certificate. You can add up to 15,000 of your own points to a free night award. So, with a 35,000-point certificate, you could book a hotel that costs up to 50,000 points by adding 15,000 points from your account.
Step 3: Book Your Reservation
Once you've found the perfect hotel and confirmed the dates, it's time to book your stay.
Sub-heading: Apply Your Award at Checkout
When you proceed to book your reservation, the system will automatically recognize your free night award and give you the option to apply it. The cost will be deducted, and you'll see a summary of charges that shows the award has been used. Just be aware that while the room rate and applicable taxes are covered, you may still be responsible for mandatory resort fees or other incidental charges, which must be paid separately.
QuickTip: Stop scrolling, read carefully here.
Sub-heading: What to Expect After Booking
After your reservation is confirmed, you'll receive an email confirmation. If you need to cancel your reservation for any reason, the free night award will be credited back to your account with its original expiration date. However, remember that the stay must be completed before the award's expiration date, not just booked.
10 Related How-To FAQ Questions
How to find out the point value of my free night award?
 |
You can find the point value by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account and checking the "Earned Awards" or "Free Night Awards" section.
How to top off a free night award with more points?
During the booking process, if you select a hotel that costs more than your award's value, the system will automatically prompt you to use up to 15,000 of your own points to cover the difference.
QuickTip: Read line by line if it’s complex.
How to use a free night award for a multi-night stay?
A single free night award can only be used for one night. To book a multi-night stay, you would need to use multiple free night awards or combine a free night award with points or cash for the other nights.
How to use a free night award for an upgraded room?
Free night awards are typically for standard guest rooms only. While you can sometimes use "Nightly Upgrade Awards" for a free night booking, this is a separate benefit and is not guaranteed.
How to tell if a hotel has mandatory resort fees?
Resort fees and other charges are usually listed in the booking details and fine print on the hotel's page before you finalize your reservation.
How to book a free night award over the phone?
Tip: The details are worth a second look.
If you're having trouble booking online, you can call Marriott Bonvoy customer care and a representative can assist you with booking a reservation using your free night award.
How to extend the expiration date of a free night award?
Unfortunately, free night awards cannot be extended beyond their original expiration date. The stay must be completed before the certificate expires.
How to use a free night award for someone else?
Free night awards are generally non-transferable and can only be used by the account holder. However, you can book a room for someone else as long as you are also present for the stay and the room is booked in your name.
How to cancel a reservation made with a free night award?
You can cancel a reservation online or through the app just like a normal booking. The free night award will be returned to your account, but keep an eye on its expiration date to ensure you can use it again.
How to get another free night award?
Free night awards are typically earned annually from co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards or by achieving 75 elite nights in a calendar year and selecting it as an Annual Choice Benefit.
 |
